Stay Fire Smart - Don't Get Burned!
When a smoke alarm sounds, we all know what to do right? Find the nearest exit, go outside, and stay out! Make an escape plan with your family and remember to practice it.

Below The Smoke! Crawl And Go, Stay Low!
Smoke can be dangerous. Smoke can be just as dangerous as fire. Get below the smoke. Crawl on your hands and knees keeping your head one to two feet above the floor, where the air will be the coolest and cleanest. Stay low and go! When escaping a fire, make sure you first test the doorknob and spaces around the door with the back of your hand. If it is cool, slowly open the door and look for signs of smoke or fire. If you should encounter smoke, heat, or flames try an alternate escape route.

Click here to learn how to save energy while becoming a safety expert!

Adopt a Fire Hydrant If there was a fire in the middle of winter could the Skokie Fire Department find the fire hydrant by your house? "Adopting" a hydrant is a great way to be involved in fire safety. When it snows, remember to uncover your fire hydrant. A path of about 3-feet around the hydrant should be cleared. The firefighters will then have enough room to work if they need to use the hydrant. Most hydrants have hydrant markers (little flags on sticks) attached to them so that they can be seen if it snows. Please remember to keep those in place.

You might want to help an elderly neighbor by shoveling out the hydrant in front of their home. It is not necessary to contact the Fire Department if you decide to "adopt" a fire hydrant, but we do like pictures, and maybe we will even put them on our web site. The Village of Skokie and all the fire hydrants thank you for helping to keep our community safe.

Why is the Dalmatian the official mascot of firefighters?
In the 1700's Dalmatians were used to protect horses that pulled English stagecoaches. Typically, Dalmatians would run next to the horses as they pulled the coach. When other dogs tried to bite and scare the horses, the Dalmatian team would chase them away. Over the years, Dalmatians formed a close bond with horses. Because of the dog/horse bond, the Dalmatian easily adapted to the firehouse in the days of horse drawn fire wagons. Since every firehouse had a set of fast horses to pull the pumper, it became common for each group of firefighters to keep a Dalmatian in the firehouse to guard the horses. When the alarm came in, the Dalmatian led the way for the horse-drawn pumper. Once on the fire scene, however, the dogs had other duties as well, including safeguarding the equipment from vandalism and theft.

So, it appears that Dalmatians have a variety of admirable traits that have endeared them to firefighters and secured them a permanent position in fire service history. Dalmatians are still found in many firehouses and serve as firefighter companions, and are a symbol of the fire service.